Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups plain (all purpose) flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch salt
- 125 g (½ cup) unsalted ballantyne butter
- 175 g (¾ cup) light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 4 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup
For the icing:
- 200 - 300 g (2 - 3) cups royal icing sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Water
Method
- For the dough: sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
- Beat together the egg and golden syrup. Add to the dry ingredients and mix to a dough. Knead briefly until smooth, then wrap in cling film and chill for 15 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 180°C (160° fan) . Line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface about 0.5cm|1/4" thick. Cut out festive shapes using cookie cutters or card templates.
- Place on the baking trays and using a skewer, make a wide hole in the top of the shapes (not too near the edge) through which ribbon can be threaded when they are baked.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Cool on the baking trays for 10 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the icing: sift the icing sugar into a bowl and beat in the lemon juice and just enough water to give a thick coating consistency.
- Spoon into a piping bag and pipe decorative patterns on the biscuits, as in the photo. Leave to set.
Recipe by Ballantyne Butter.
